


This Corner of the World

by neon



Series: Florist & Merc AU [1]
Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24862060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/neon/pseuds/neon
Summary: Aerith is a florist. Cloud is a mercenary. (AU, Established Relationship)Aerith's scissors glinted in the sun as she snipped them shut and slid them in her apron pocket, and she stood the newly cut flower in her now full wicker basket. Rising with hands placed on her hips, she rocked back on her heels and turned her smile to the sky.Whew!The hottest part of the day had come. Under the brim of her hat sweat beaded on her forehead, so she wiped the back of her wrist against her skin. At least there was a breeze swishing the hem of her dress, and swaying the flowers that grew as far as she could see in lovely tandem. They weren’t the only things blowing in, though. When Aerith stood she saw a group of three making their way toward her in her field.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Series: Florist & Merc AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1798867
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45





	This Corner of the World

**Author's Note:**

> This is a way for me, someone who's only played FF7R and seen Advent Children and knows not a whole bunch of details outside of those two things, to write some Clerith fic. I don't know if there will be more to come. But I had fun writing this look at a cottagecore life for them.
> 
> The initial set-up for this AU is:  
> \- Most main events in canon never happened, or never involved Cloud or Aerith.  
> \- Aerith is still a Cetra, but no one ever discovers that exact fact, including her.  
> \- Cloud and Aerith live in the same house as Aerith's in FF7R, but it's not in Sector 5.  
> \- Cloud and Aerith are in a relationship.  
> \- Aerith is a florist.  
> \- Cloud is a mercenary.

Aerith's scissors glinted in the sun as she snipped them shut and slid them in her apron pocket, and she stood the newly cut flower in her now full wicker basket. Rising with hands placed on her hips, she rocked back on her heels and turned her smile to the sky.

_Whew!_ The hottest part of the day had come. Under the brim of her hat sweat beaded on her forehead, so she wiped the back of her wrist against her skin. At least there was a breeze swishing the hem of her dress, and swaying the flowers that grew as far as she could see in lovely tandem. They weren’t the only things blowing in, though. When Aerith stood she saw a group of three making their way toward her in her field.

She cupped her ears to catch the whispering rustle beneath the wind. Before the three arrived she knew the worry and urgency in their hearts. She covered the top of her hat to hold it in place as she bent to grab the handle of her basket, ignoring the few flowers that fell loose in the journey, and trotted to meet them.

"What’s wrong?" she asked as soon as they were near enough to hear. They slowed before her, two young men, one clutching a bloodied bandage on his upper arm, and an older woman, all panting from their rush. They were familiar to Aerith. Everyone in town was - that must have been where they'd come from.

"Aerith," said the woman. "Monsters, near the edge of town."

"Is Cloud here?" asked one of the men. Aerith shook her head. She reached for the other, starting to say, _You’re injured_ , as he shook his head tersely, _I’m all right right now_.

"But he’s home," Aerith answered, turning back the way she had come. "Come on, follow me."

_Cloud?_ Aerith thought. The flowers bent ahead of Aerith’s lead. As the group crested the hill and the house in the valley below came into sight, they could see Cloud, opening and stepping through the front door and already looking up to them.

He must have heard Aerith's call. He always heard her.

He was moving toward his motorcycle as they moved downhill toward him. The engine’s smooth roar rose above the sound of the wind. He was sliding a sword into one of the motorcycle’s wing compartments as they arrived, and lifting his goggles over his eyes.

One of the men said his name when they arrived but Cloud interjected, "Monsters, right?" He easily straddled the bike, grip finding each handlebar. He eyed the other man who was holding his arm. "Anyone else hurt?"

_No - not yet_ , came the answer. Cloud shared a look with Aerith. She nodded back at him, to say, _I’ll stay here, take care of this one._

Cloud jerked his head toward the back of the bike. "One of you, let’s go." The uninjured man climbed on behind Cloud.

Cloud peeked over his shoulder at Aerith again.

"Got this?" he asked.

She tipped her head to one side and placed her hands on her hips.

"Of course I do. Do _you?_ "

He smirked, finally. "Of course I do," he echoed. She smiled back. "I’ll be home soon."

"You better."

He faced toward the front of his bike and in the next instant the motorcycle was racing into the distance, raising dust on the road out of the valley. Aerith watched Cloud go, before turning to the woman and injured man, lifting her hat off her hair and ushering them inside the house. _Now, let’s get that arm looked at_.

* * *

It was night. The injured man was resting in a bed on the second story; the woman was sitting at the kitchen table, hands laced in front of her pensive mouth. Aerith glanced at the window, above the kitchen sink, where the flowers were being kept in water. Aerith knew even before the sound of the motorcycle’s engine could travel home when Cloud had re-entered the valley.

Aerith placed a hand on top of the woman's, silently encouraging the woman to raise her head.

"It’s all right," Aerith told her. "Cloud’s back. I know everything’s just fine."

"He is?" The woman looked toward one of the windows herself. _He’ll be here soon_ , Aerith assured, sitting in a chair across the table. The woman faced her.

"You think everything’s okay?"

"Mm-hmm. I know it. Cloud never fails."

"…That’s true." The woman finally sighed. "The two of you are absolute angels."

Aerith grinned, wishing Cloud was there to hear himself be called an angel. She could imagine pretty well anyway his gruff reaction.

Soon, just as Aerith promised, Cloud’s arrival announced itself by the sound of the motorcycle, growing and growing until cutting out in front of the house.

Aerith rose and stood in the opened door, watching Cloud lift himself off the motorcycle seat. He walked up the steps into the warm shape of light falling on the porch where she waited.

"Heya," she greeted. _Heya_ , he responded, and Aerith knew the job was done.

"My hero," she said, while his boot passed the last step to stand on the same level as her. A proud little muscle couldn’t help itself, tugging one corner of his mouth into a smile.

Close in the doorway they gazed at each other, before Cloud thought to ask, "Everything work out here?"

Aerith side-stepped to let him through, with a falsely indignant huff. He rolled his eyes at her usual antics. He stutter-stepped at the sight and reminder of their guest, which made Aerith giggle.

"Monsters are taken care of," he told the woman. She relaxed again. "Your buddy’s home, too. Told him there was nothing to worry about on this end."

He leaned against the counter that bordered the small kitchen from the dining table, his ankles crossed, and the heels of his hands on the counter edge to prop him. His goggles were hanging around his neck and the sweat-stained collar of his white t-shirt, that he hadn’t had the chance before leaving to change out of into something more fighting-fit. He readjusted to fold his arms over his chest instead. He cleared his throat.

He always was awkward around strangers.

"I don’t know what we would do without you two," the woman said, a sigh heavy with relief. "What a blessing you decided to plant your roots in our little corner of the world. Thank you."

"No problem," Cloud replied, "But I don’t do this for thanks, y’know."

And as always, no tact with them either.

Aerith halted from pulling a chair out to sit again and twisted to glare at him over her shoulder. _Cloud!_ The woman answered Aerith’s cry though, "No, I understand… We don’t have much in the way of gil right now to pay you, though…"

Cloud’s eyes met Aerith’s. She narrowed hers at him more. He sighed.

"We'll work something out," he finished for the woman.

_All right_ , she said, staring down at the table while Cloud turned his face to one side. Aerith twisted her fingers together in her lap and straightened her spine, quietly uttering, _Uhh… well…_

"Cloud!" He looked back over at his name. Aerith continued, "Why don’t you go take a shower, and I’ll set up the guest room for Calla, here."

"Fine," he answered, straightening from his lean without uncrossing his arms. Aerith pursed her mouth. He dropped his arms and repeated in a looser breath, _Fine_ , before climbing the spiral steps to the second floor bathroom.

Aerith turned back to the woman, holding her hand up straight and wincing with one closed eye. "Sorry about him!"

But the woman shook her head, "No. It’s only fair, what with all you’ve done. Thank you, again."

Aerith bit her lower lip guiltily and nodded vaguely, _Mm_. She pointed up the stairs. "I’m going to get that room ready for you now, 'kay?"

When she was done she lowered onto a small stool set bedside to their injured man. He was sleeping soundly. His new bandage was still clean of new blood when Aerith checked it.

She studied her own hand, curling and uncurling her fingers.

She hovered her palm above the man’s wrapping again. Just to be safe. Slowly her hand glowed with green familiar light. And the healing light dispersed itself as sparkling dust, drifting down into the man’s arm.

Aerith hadn’t wondered for a long time where her power had come from. It didn’t really matter, after all.

All that mattered was that it helped people.

"Good as new," she whispered. She hopped up, and after making sure Calla was settled in too, walked down the hall to her and Cloud’s room.

He was perched on the bed’s edge, shaking a towel over his blond tufts of damp hair. Aerith swatted his arm.

" _Ow_ \- what?" She put a finger to her lips, _Shh!_

"Our guests are asleep!"

Cloud grunted at her. His voice lowered.

"I’m a mercenary. This is what I do to make a living, y’know."

"Well you’re supposed to let me handle the talking, remember?" she whispered back. "You’ve never been very good at it."

"Yeah. Well."

He turned mute. Aerith perked up, swaying her shoulders with a self-satisfaction and retorting with a sing-song whisper, _Told you so!_

Aerith let her gaze trip down to his bare torso. She was looking for cuts, bruises, but openly just looking after she noticed none. He laid the towel across the back of his neck, revealing the tips of his ears that turned slightly pink under the scrutiny. "Does Mister Merc have any injuries that need healing, too?"

He looked her in the eye, then nodded seriously. Aerith blinked because she’d been joking. Was he hurt?

When he tugged gently on her wrist Aerith let him guide her hand to settle under his right collarbone, on his chest. Aerith spread her fingers over his skin.

"Just my wounded heart," he said flatly, smirking the next second as her eyes opened wide and round. She ducked her head to muffle her laughter.

"You’re not so tough," she said, straightening her arm and stepping back.

He kept hold of her hand though, stretching his own arm to keep them tethered together. His eyes were glinting with his own brand of quiet mirth. Even prettier than usual. "Not as tough as you," he agreed.

_Flatterer_ , she accused him. She finally untangled their fingers. Cloud dropped his back to the bed, keeping his legs bent over the edge. He was obviously tired but immediately denied it when Aerith made her observation outloud. She could feel his attention wander, but felt it drift back to her as she reached for the top of her braid. Carefully, she removed her bow.

She sat on the bed next to him, touching thighs. From the crown of her head to the tail end draped over her shoulder she teased her braid apart. Cloud leveraged himself up to sitting. He combed his fingers through and gently tugged on small tangles. _Ow_ , said Aerith, softly, smiling. _Sorry_ , whispered Cloud, and was even gentler.

"Hey, wait - did you eat?" Aerith swept her hair behind her neck with both hands. She leaned her shoulder into Cloud’s, daring him to try and dodge the question. He had a bad habit of saying he was fine when Aerith would have been starving.

"They fed me before I left town." He took the slight brunt of her and her question easily.

"I think that’s worth something, don’t you?"

He sighed. _Whatever._ "Guess I could knock a couple gil off their bill," he mumbled after flopping back on the bed.

Aerith rose to place the ribbons from her hair on the vanity, curling them around a vase of flowers. "Well," she said softly to the flowers, "Today was certainly exciting, wasn’t it?" She ran her finger gently along a petal, quiet and smiling.

Cloud asked without raising his head. "What did they say?" Aerith hummed, clasping her hands behind her back before spinning around to answer, still in a whisper.

"They say, 'good job today, guys'."

**Author's Note:**

> @highfivestrife (nsfw) if you want to witness my obsession with FF7R


End file.
